Silk Floss Tree

[_Keith]

I got this triple Silk Floss Tree last year. I thought winter might weed out a weak one or two, but all 3 made it. So now what? Do I leave all 3, or do I cut back one or two?

[DoomsDave]

Imagine what a threesome of copulating elephants, covered with spines will look like.

That's what you'll end up with if all three of those SF trees survive.

However, that said, I doubt that they will survive long-term (unless you've got facts to prove me wrong). It seems to me that you have two problems: FIrst, it gets (I think) too cold where you are; and second, they live in the same kind of habitat, more or less, as the Buteas do, and I suspect they'll rot easily if it stays too wet for too long.

I could also be wrong . . .

Assuming one, I'd take out the spiny ones and leave the spineles one, if only because you never bump into a spineless tree, but get constantly thrown against spiny ones . . . .

Hope this helps, and keep us apprized, because a lady from Louisiana wanted to try one, but she's out by Mamou.

[mnorell]

Keith--

You definitely don't want a triple. These get huge. I'm surprised anyone was growing them that way to begin with...they're strong trees and put on a huge bole. Mine (and several other people in Natchez) had good luck with them this year, despite several long-duration freezes, the worst to 24F, throughout the downtown grid. Only tips to about 1/4" burned back. I have a small seedling that did fine except for the top few inches. I'e read often that they are known to recover from 20F, perhaps lower. They grow like weeds, and flower on new growth in fall, so they're good candidates for the 9a-9b south with typical cold, between horrific freezes. Maybe someone can illuminate in regard to how they've responded to teens, whether they have reliably returned from the roots.

[DoomsDave]

Keith:

They get massive. I've seen trunks 4 feet or more across. However, the wood's really spongy so if you do have to cut one down, it's not like messing with a giant Ficus or oak.

[Austinpalm]

  Dave from So-Cal said:

Assuming one, I'd take out the spiny ones and leave the spineles one, if only because you never bump into a spineless tree, but get constantly thrown against spiny ones . . . .

Yea, but the spines are half of what makes them so interesting.......

[Eric in Orlando]

Definitely cut out 2 of the trunks, decide if you want a smooth or spiny tree. Smooth ones are more friendly to work around but the spiny ones are more of a curiousity.

They are tender when young but get hardier as they age. Around here they were froze to the ground in the '89 freeze. There is an old specimen here at Leu Gardens that was planted decades ago by Mr. Leu. It was about 50ft tall when it got killed back in '89. I started working here in Nov. 1992 and it was already back 40ft. Unfortuneately, they let 3 trunks grow up. This led to a weak structure at the buttress. During Hurricane Charley in 2004, one trunk split totally off and fell, a 2nd had a big crack and was ready to split off anytime. The 3rd had bad canopy damage so all 3 were cut off and we let it resprout from the stump and have since trained 1 trunk to grow. But these trees seem to grow taller if there are competing trees around and ones out in the open seem to stay under 30ft. Well there had been other trees around but they were taken out in the hurricane so now it is in an open area. The trunk seems to have maxed out at about 20ft and is developing a spreading canopy so it won't be as tall as it previously was.

pre Hurricane Charley, 2003

the day after Hurricane Charley with trunk down

[Eric in Orlando]

post hurricane but before cutting down

stump after cut down

I don't have a photo of it now but since it has grown back it is even spinier than it was before

[Alberto]

Like Eric said,they are tender when young but get lot hardier as they age!!!

You have to cut the two weekest branches and let only one. Letting the 3 ,will create a week tree that can easily rot where the tree trunks comes together.

[_Keith]

OK, well I got it for the thorny trunk, so that determines which one stay. The other two will be cut this weekend. If this thing makes a decade and actually flowers I consider myself fortunate in this Zone 9a climate. But hey, it sailed through its first year.

[ron@springhammock]

Keith,

I've had mine a decade plus and still no flowers, so don't be too disappointed if they don't show in a decade. Next time, I'm getting a grafted tree.

I started mine from seed and noticed that there was a lot of variation in how spiny they are. I also noticed a lot of variation in thier cold hardiness. I gave a very fast growing spineless tree to my neighbor, but its branches keep getting frozen back after a freeze. I planted a very spiney slow growing one in my front yard and it has never shown any freeze damage. So good luck picking the right one.

[swamptreenelly]

http://www.fremontica.com/roadside/list.ph...orisia+speciosa

Keep all three leaders and get rid of the weakest one later. Try not to remove any of the lower limbs and don't top it if possible. They will grow new leaders after being topped and will heal from ground level wounds.

The tree takes about 8 years to bloom and will bloom better with less water and more heat.

Right when the seed pods open up to a silky mass, then pull the seeds out of the silkfloss and grow new trees in may. Give the trees away to City Parks, plant about 10' away from concrete walks.

The flowers fall to ground coloring the area pink. They bloom better as the get older.

Nelson